Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Your New Favorite Player

Linking to an article in which Brandon Morrow refers to preferring "nerd stats" is pretty much a Pavlovian response at this point. The paper reports it, I liberally blockquote from it and we all go about our business.

The piece in question is more of a notes article with, what, 200 words on Morrow? It alludes to Morrow's appreciation of advanced stats (though it ignores FIP, which LOVES him) without mentioning his Cal education, making Morrow smarter than 90% of SABR dudes anyway.

This is supposed to be the part where I gush over Morrow for embracing stats, even if he does seem to appreciate them on a more Greinkian level i.e. they make him look good.

The most telling and enjoyable part of this tiny Bellingham Herald piece is actually a quote from Morrow on Vernon Wells, after Morrow threw a terrible pitch which Vernon used to bookend his career by taking it deep to left-center field.

“He stepped out, tipped his cap, and when he got back in I threw him the single worst slider of my career,” Morrow said.

Wells homered.

“The only good thing was the crowd cheered him all the way around the bases,” Morrow said.

I dunno, that's just a decent and real thing to say. I appreciate his candor and honesty. Sue me.

P.S. He struck out 50% of the batters put before him against the Mariners on Wednesday night. That helps too.

I must count myself among the supporters of League. I used to like watching him come up through the system, I thought he would be a stud reliever, right up until he missed a bunch of time for an "overdeveloped lat muscle"...strange. But ever since that injury he just wasn't the same.

And yes...I guess I can admit it was definately a win-win trade, we just won more! ;)

Listen, if you can trade a young bullpen arm (think rezp)for a low number 2 starter or high end number 3 (depending on how u value Marrow)thats a trade you make every time. Im glad League is doing well for Seattle but bullpen arms are easier to get then starters with Marrows stuff. Keep in mind of course this has been a break out year for League so it wasnt like we traded a bonified all star closer, either way though. The Jays just need one of their kids to step up and join the two big dog starters we have.

If you think Rezp was just a throw in for Rasmus you're kidding yourself.

I love the contunues ignorance and poor reporting when it comes to the Jays. Here you are talking about the lack of Jays walks and the absence of an effective batting coach approzch. However, you fail to mention that Bautista as the number three hitter has drawn a hundred walks.